Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-09

graver perhaps than became his sudden
pantomiInic appearance, but before she
could observe him closely he had surned,
closed the hatch with certain familiar
dexterfty, aud walked slowly towards the
bows. Even in her slight bewilderHlent
she observed that his step upon the deck
seemed different TO her fathers or the
photographers, and that he laid his hand
on various objects with half caress1ng
ease and habit. Presently he paused and
turned back and CHANGING at the galley
door for the first time encountered her
wondering eyes.
1t seemed 90 evident that she had been
curious spectator Of his abrupt entrance
on deck that he was at first Disconnected
and confused But after second glance
at her he appeared to resume his compos-
ure, and advanced little defiantly to-
wards the galley.
81 suppose frightened you, popping
up the fore hatch Just now?''
'@The whaty'' asked Rosey.
1.-THE fore hatch" lie repeated inpa-
tiently, Indicating 1t with gesture.
"And that's the fore hatch>" she said
abstractedly. ''Ycu seem to know ships
''Yes--a little" lie said quietly. Il
was below. and unfasteued the hatch to
come up the quickest way and take look
round I've just hired room here, " he
added explanatory.
81 thought SO, said Rosey simply;
"you're the CONTRACTOR
81
TO know It all"
'Fafher's told me-"
''Oh, he's your father-Nott' Ger
tainly. see now, >" he continued, looking
at her with half repressed smile Ger
tainly, Miss Mott good morning" he half
added and walked toward the companion
way. Something in the direction Of his
eyes as he turned away made Rosey lift
her hands to her head. She had forgotten
to remove her fathers baleful gift.
She snatched it off and ran quickly to
the companion way.
Sir she called.
The young man turned half way down
the steps and looked up. There was
faint color in her checks and her pretty
DFDWu NdlI was Slightly tISbtfN4ti nun
the hasty removal Of the bonnet.
Fathers very particular about stran-
gers being on this deck, " she said, little
sharply.
''Oh--ah-Im sorry intruded."
"I-I-thousht ia tell YOU" said
Rosey, frightened by her boldness into a
feeble anti-clmax.
"Thank you"
She came back slowly to the galley and
picked up the unfortunate bonnet with a
slight sense of remorse. Why should she
feel angry with her poor fathers unhappy
Offering? And what business had this
strange young man to use the ship so
familiarity Yet she was VAGUELY con
scious that she and her father, with all
their love and their domestic experience
Of it, lacked a certain instructive ease in
its possession that the half Indifferent
stranger had shown on first treading its
deck She walked 10 the hatch'Fay aud
examined it with new interest. Sue
ceeding in lifting the hatch, she gazed at
the lower deck. As She already knew the
ladder had long since been removed TO
HIM Iptll lbi but VI VIC lfttl tAt.OiIS, it
only way the stranger could have reached
it was by leaping to one Of the rings. TO
make sure of this she let herself down,
holding on to the rings, and dropped
couple of feet to the deck below. She was
in the narrow passage her father had pene-
trated the previous night. Before her was
the door leading to de Ferrieres' loft, al
ell
was the hour when the old French
man made his habitual promenade in
the city But the light from the newly
opened hatch allowed her to see more OF
the mysterious recesses of the forward
bulkhead than she had known before and
she was startled by observing another
yawning hatchway at her feet from which
the closely fitting door had been lifted
and which the new ledger had evidently
forgotten to close again. The young girl
stopped down and peered cautiously into
the black abyss. Nothing was to he seen,
nothing heard but the distant gurgle and
click of water in some remoter depth. She
replaced the hatch and returned by way
of the passage to the cabin.
w men ner IatneF came nome tnat nlGnt
she briefly recounted the interview with
the new lodger and her discovery of his
curiosity She did this with Il possible in
crease of her usual shyness and abstrac-
ton, and apparently more as u duty than q
colloquial recreation. But it pleased Mr..
Mott also to give it more than his usual
misconception. Looking round the ship,
was he--ch, Roseyf" he said with in
finite archness. "In course, kinder sweep
in round the galley and offcrin' to fetch
you wood and water, eh?' Even when
the young girl had picked up her book
with the usual faint smile of affectionate
tolerance and then drifted away in its
pages, Mr.. Mott chuckled audibly. II
reckon old Frenchy didn't come by when
the young one was bedevilin' You there"
"What, father" said Rosey, lifting her
distracted eyes to his face.
Continued to morrow